


But I Am Tho

by paperprincess



Series: Shoujo Jump [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Domestic, F/F, F/M, Fluff, so I'm not tagging it properly., this is literally just going to be me messing around
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-07-13 17:33:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16022663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperprincess/pseuds/paperprincess
Summary: All of the happy, cute, and funny things that I wish I could make happen in the main fic, but can't. enjoy the au's for the au. You're officially too meta.





	1. Naru/Shika, Happy Marriage

**Author's Note:**

> you can all thank Nomo for this. Also brought to you by finishing your homework. Stay in school.

Naru awoke in the early morning, like she always did. She, at some point in the night, had pulled the sheets over her head. The morning sun was filtering through them, soft and warm. She smiled as she felt an arm reach out and brush up her own. A hand pulled the sheet down, off her face, and she smiled as her husband came into view.

 

“Good morning,” Shikamaru said groggily. Naru rolled onto her side and eyed his features. It was a rare gift, that he had been given.  _ I mean, how on earth did the guy just get more handsome with age? Or maybe being in love just… did that. _

 

“It is, isn’t it?”

 

“Do you know what day it is?” He asked, pushing the pillow between them down to gain a better view of her face. She furrowed her brow.

 

“What? Do I have a meeting today?”

 

“No, I didn’t schedule anything today,” He said. Naru frowned.

 

“Did… Did we have a drill today?”

 

“No,” He said, laughing. Naru bit her lips together and shook her head.

 

“I don’t know, I can’t remember… except… wait…” Her eyes shot wide and she perked up, “Shit!”

 

Shikamaru grinned ear to ear, and pounced on her, rolling her over onto her back. “Happy anniversary, Sunshine!” He crowed, planting a kiss on her lips as she grabbed his hips.

 

“Happy anniversary, Grumpy!” She laughed, “Sorry! I totally forgot for a second there!”

 

“Well you have a stressful job,” He laughed. She smiled, tilting her head.

 

“It’s a good thing I have a solid right-hand man,” She said, running her thumbs over his hip bones and curling up, planting another peck on his lips. He ran his hands through her messy, slightly tangled hair, then drew her hand up to his face, planting a kiss on her palm.

 

“And left,” He said, playing with the plain, gold wedding band that sat there. She wrapped her arms around his waist and grinned.

 

“And left,” She scooted them both further up the bed, so she was sitting up with him over her lap. He bent down and rested his forehead against hers. “What do you want to do today?” She asked, “A whole day together, no paperwork, no meetings… We could go somewhere…”

 

Shikamaru wrinkled his nose. Naru licked her lips.

 

“We could go out for barbeque?”

 

“Not for breakfast,” He said, kissing her nose and straightening up, stretching. She eyed where her husband’s shirt rode up, revealing the waistband of his pyjama pants. (They had deer antlers on them. She’d gotten them for him as a joke, but he wore them almost every night, and most mornings, even going so far as to try wearing them to the office once). She grabbed him and tackled him into the mattress, kissing his face as he giggled.  _ He actually giggled. _ She loved being married. 

 

“We could… we could go see a movie? They’re showing reruns of makeout tactics to celebrate the tenth year of the movie’s release…”

 

“No, I hate the lead actor…” He grumbled, rolling his eyes and smiling. She slid back, sighing dramatically. 

 

“I guess… if you don’t wanna spend time with me… on this day… the day of our seventh marital anniversary… I could probably go into the office and- Ope!” Shikamaru wrapped his legs around her torso and pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her and rolling her over, pinning the Hokage down. He tried his hardest to look stern.

 

“I have not wasted this much energy on rescheduling shitty, boring meetings to other days so I’d have you all to myself,  _ just so  _ that you could still go into the gods-damned office today. No sir. I refuse,”

 

“Then what?” She laughed, pretending to struggle against his grip. He hummed thoughtfully. He collapsed to the side, and grinned at her, sprawled out on the bed. 

 

“Let’s just do this…” He said, smiling at her. “At least, for now. Let’s just do nothing at all,”

 

Naru rolled over and pulled him into a hug, resting her head against his chest and grinning into his shirt. “You really are a genius,”


	2. Naru doesn't follow directions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There's no man alive who can tell me what to do,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alternate precursor to the formation of team kakashi

“You are all here as a precursor for this teams formation. But I wanted to address the problems in Naru’s behavior, and put forward that you,” She pointed at the girl, who looked surprised, “Need to follow the orders your team leaders give to you. You are a soldier. You _have to do_ what you are told. It’s a part of the deal,”

 

Naru crossed her arms and cocked her hip, tapping her heel on the ground. “There isn’t a man alive who can tell me what to do,”

 

Sakura cleared her throat and pointed at Kakashi. He was looking at Naru with his visible eyebrow raised. She flushed and looked back at Tsunade.

 

“There’s only _one_ man alive who can tell me what to do,” she said, tapping her foot again. Tsunade suppressed a smirk.

 

“You spent three years training under Jiraiya, kid,”

 

Naru’s face burned, and she shifted her weight awkwardly. “There’s only _one_ man alive who can tell me what to do, and _one_ man who can make suggestions that I will _take into account,_ ”

 

Sakura smiled, leaning forward and narrowing her eyes. “What about Iruka-sensei?”

 

Naru turned to her and stomped her foot, closing her eyes and sticking her nose in the air. “I _said_ what I _said_ ,”

 

They all jumped as the office door splintered, and Iruka stood, paperwork crumpled in his fists. “What was that Naruto Uzumaki?” He snapped, pointing at her, “I better have a hearing problem young lady,”

 

Naru sprinted to the nearest window, yanking it open and making to leap out of it. Kakashi caught her by the back of her turtle neck and held her away from the windowsill. “SHIT, SHIT, SHIT,” she yelped, kicking out and reaching for the window as Iruka fumed in the wreckage of the door. Tsunade sighed.

  
“Why do I keep _buying more damn doors_?”


	3. Naru/Neji/Shikamaru, Morosexual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji and Shikamaru are morosexual
> 
> Morosexual: Exclusively attracted to dumbasses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based off a post my tumblr user Adidasmutual, it reads:
> 
> "I'm proud to identify as a morosexual. I'm attracted to dumbasses and dumbasses exclusively. A guy asked me what the Spanish word for tortilla was once and now I dream of kissing him under the moonlight"
> 
> I would like to also give credit to nomothematic for giving me this idea. I lov u. <3

Sakura was sitting on a bench along one of Konoha’s parks. She was enjoying the breeze whistling through the trees, and the sun beating down overhead. She stretched her legs out in front of her and smiled upward, basking in the beautiful weather.

 

When she looked back down across the park, she noticed Shikamaru laid out in the grass, watching clouds roll by. She smiled. He deserved to unwind a little. He had actually been putting a lot of effort into keeping the Chunin exams running smoothly. Not to mention all the drama with Temari and Tenten’s chaotic relationship, that he had to hear about constantly. Considering how much the two liked each other, you’d expect their romantic life would run a little smoother. And poor Shikamaru, caught between the two of them, playing messenger whenever they decided to bicker about something.

 

There was a shout and a raucous laugh, and Naru came thundering down the steps, through the park, dragging a bemused Neji behind her. Both Sakura and Shikamaru looked up, surprised by the intrusion.

 

“Come on Bright eyes, this is the fastest way. Oh! Hey Sakura-chan! What’s up?”

 

“Just enjoying the day, where are you going?” She asked, suppressing a smile at Shikamaru’s expression as he looked at Naru and Neji’s joined hands.

 

“Gonna go train!” Naru beamed. Shikamaru sat up.

 

“Mind if I come?” He asked, ripping a handful of grass out of the ground and tearing it up between his hands. Naru looked over at him and hopped up and down excitedly.

 

“Uh, of course you can come! Wanna spar?”

 

“Not at all,” He said, getting up and dusting himself off. Sakura really did smile at that.

 

“I’ll come watch!” She said.

 

**_Cause this’ll be good._ **

 

_Hush._

 

“The more the merrier!” Naru said happily, starting to drag Neji onward, “Come on!”

 

They all ran the rest of the way to the training ground, and Sakura perched herself on the nearest stump and crossed her legs. Naru started by gently sparring with Neji. Shikamaru sat and leaned against a tree sulkily. Eventually Naru noticed that he wasn’t doing anything and called a time out.

 

“Shikamaru-kun! I thought you wanted to train!” She whined, turning to him. Neji caught her wrist.

 

“If he doesn’t want to spar, then he doesn’t have to, Naru-chan,” He said, “let’s keep going,”

 

“Okay, but I was thinking we could wrestle a little,”

 

“Or you could practice your Rasengan!” Shikamaru suggested quickly as Neji sputtered, his face turning pink. Sakura rested her chin in her hand and smiled as Shikamaru got to his feet and strode forward. “We can all individually practice our jutsu, equidistant from one another,”

 

“What?” Naru asked, tilting her head. Everyone looked at her. “What’s equidistants?”

 

Shikamaru sucked in a breath sharply. Neji flushed a little darker. Sakura paused for a second.

 

_Wait… is it just me… or…_

 

“It means equal distance, Naru,” Shikamaru said with an air of forced calm. Neji cleared his throat. Naru nodded slowly.

 

“Oh, that makes sense,” she said. Shikamaru nodded back.

 

“Yep… it’s literally… in the word. Okay, so… back to training,” He said, rubbing the back of his neck. Naru beamed.

 

“Alright!” She summoned her rasengan and turned around to face the nearest tree, blasting massive scars into its surface. Shikamaru breathed out a sigh. Naru blasted the tree two more times and it toppled over. She paused, looking at it, then turned to Neji.

 

“Hey… do you know how trees know to grow upwards? Do you think some trees accidentally grow down? Are there trees underground?”

 

Neji gaped at her, his face getting steadily redder. He cleared his throat again. Shikamaru froze, and stared over at Naru, inhaling again, deeply. Naru blinked innocently up at the older ninja, unaware of either of their reactions. Sakura let her hand fall into her lap, looking between the three people in front of her.

 

**_Oh my gods. They’re totally into when she says stupid shit._ **

 

_Shut up… no way…_

 

“They grow toward sunlight, Naru-san,” Neji said, his voice wavering a little. Naru frowned.

 

“But how does it know which way is up when it’s a seed underground? Do plants think?”

 

“Oh my gods, Naru,” Shikamaru groaned, smoothing his hand over his ponytail, looking like he was being driven to distraction, “Please just… just hit something,”

 

Naru looked over at him, confused. “What’s wrong, Shika-kun?”

 

“Nothing,” He said, his voice cracking, “Just please focus on training, before you make me certifiable,”

 

**_Oh… Sakura… I think he’s…_ **

 

_Stop it! There’s no way. Stop it right there._

 

“Certifiably what?” She asked innocently, looking worried. Neji closed his eyes and put his hand to his mouth, and Shikamaru actually started forward, resting his hands palms-up on her shoulders.

 

“Oh my gods, you’re going to drive me insane,” he said, looking between her eyes as though he was checking they were real.

 

“Sorry, Shika-kun, I don’t mean to!” Naru said, still with that same innocent, well meaning look on her face. Sakura cleared her throat loudly and all three of them looked over at her as she propped her chin up on her hand again, smiling at Shikamaru.

 

“Like you said, best to focus on training,” She said, pointing at the newly felled tree. Neji shifted his weight and took a deep breath.

 

“I agree, best to focus,” He said, glancing at Naru again, still bright pink. Naru smiled.

 

“Okay! So, are you both still sure you don’t wanna wrestle?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru gets turned on by stupidity it's canon don't talk to me


	4. Aerith_joey’s birthday present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hope it’s whatcha wanted fam

Naru awoke slowly, the early morning sunlight streaming through her apartment window and casting patches of light on the wood floor. She smiled, and stretched, and was surprised when there was a pebble that clicked against her window. She got up and ran her fingers through her hair as she padded over to it and slid it open. She had to catch another incoming stone before it struck her in the face as she leaned out of the window.

 

“What the…”

 

“Hey! Loser!” Kiba barked up at her, flashing his fanged grin up at her and patting Akamaru’s head, “Let’s go get something to eat!”

 

“Let’s go get some sleep more like! What time is it?” She laughed back down at him. He shrugged.

 

“No clue. Just got back from a mission with Kurenai-sensei. Come on! Let’s go get something! I’m starving!”

 

Naru hesitated, but then sighed and put her hands back on her window. “I’ll be down in a second,” She said, before slamming the window shut and pulling her chunin vest and a pair of sweats. She yanked her shoes on as she hopped out the door, double checking that it was locked and thudding down the stairs, tripping like she so often did on the bottom few steps and slamming head first into the door. She pulled it open, rubbing her nose where she’d hit it and frowning as she walked up to Kiba and Akamaru. 

 

“What did you do?” He laughed, falling into step with her as she continued massaging her bruised face.

 

“I tripped,”

 

“How the hell are you a ninja? Honestly? You’re the least graceful person on the planet,” He laughed. She flushed.

 

“I don’t know, how are you a ninja when you’re such a loser?” she grumbled from behind her hand. 

 

“Oh wow, bringing out the sick burns, huh?” Kiba teased. Naru frowned. 

 

“Remind me why I got out of bed for this?”

 

“Naru!” Came a low drawl. Naru started and looked up. 

 

“Shika-kun. How are you?” Naru asked, ruffling her hair, suddenly conscious that she hadn’t put her headband on. Shikamaru’s eyes flicked over her chaotic hair and then back to her face. 

 

“Good. What are you doing?”

 

“Getting food. Wanna come?” Naru said, smiling brightly at him. He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets.

 

“Yeah, guess so,”

 

Kiba huffed next to Naru, throwing his arm around her shoulders. Shikamaru scowled. 

 

They walked together down into the market, and Kiba bought himself and Naru buns from a bakery. Shikamaru bought a strange drink and frowned at them as they ate. He eventually stepped a little closer to Naru and cleared his throat.

 

“Do you think that we could go out for dinner tonight?” He suggested quietly. Kiba’s arm tensed around Naru’s shoulders. She smiled. 

 

“Yeah of course! Won’t that be great Kiba?”

 

“... Yes, I can’t wait,” He said, looking over at Shikamaru, who was flushed. He reached down and caught Naru’s hand, then held it. She smiled and squeezed his fingers, leaning into Kiba a little.

 

“Man I love hanging out with you guys!” She said, watching their feet as they walked along. There was a jerking movement behind her, and she looked up to see Kiba and Shikamaru positively glaring at one another over her head. She frowned. “What’s up with you two?”

 

“Nothing,” Shikamaru said, narrowing his eyes slightly. Naru’s grown deepened. 

 

“Are you two hiding something from me?”

 

“No!” Kiba said, swinging his arms out wide and slapping Shikamaru’s shoulder, sending him a little off balance, “I would never!” Shikamaru smacked his arm away, and pointed at him. 

 

“Liar! You hide stuff from her all the time!”

 

“And you don’t, brainiac?” Kiba snarled back. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“I’ll see you guys later. I’m not in the mood for this,” She sped up, leaving the boys in the dust behind her. Kiba and Shikamaru both froze for a moment, then rushed to catch up.

 

“Wait up!” Shikamaru said, “Hold it!”

 

Naru looked over her shoulder at him, not bothering to slow down. “Don’t tell me what to do, Shika-kun, you know better than- Ope!” She ran straight into a tall, solid object and fell backward. Strong arms wrapped around her and held her still, setting her gently back on her feet. Naru blinked up at the person she’d hit. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going-“

 

“It’s okay, Naru-san,” Neji said calmly, stepping back and smiling down at her. Naru smiled back.

 

“You put on some weight, didn’t you?” She pushed him in the chest, smiling. “you’re solid as all of anything,”

 

“I’ve been training hard,” Neji admitted, rubbing the place where she’d pushed him, “But I wasn’t expecting you to notice. Particularly by crashing headlong into me. What are you doing?”

 

“I was just hightailing it away from these losers,” Naru said, flicking her wrist at her friends. Kiba made an offended noise, and Shikamaru groaned. Neji didn’t seem to get the joke. He tensed up, and placed his hand on Naru’s shoulder, almost protectively.

 

“Are they bothering you, Naru-san?” He said, frowning at the two younger boys. Naru snorted, covering her face with her hand.

 

“Yeah, but not like that. Don’t worry about it,” She smiled up at him, and he softened slightly, his shoulders relaxing. Naru ducked out from under his arm and stuck her hands in her pockets, shrugging as she tracked backward. “I’m gonna go train a little. I’ll see you guys later? How’s dinner? The four of us? I’ll buy, if you want,”

 

All three boys shot each other dirty looks, but turned back to Naru. “Yes,” Neji said, “That would be good,”

 

“Sure,” Shikamaru grumbled, kicking a rock across the path and running his hand over his ponytail. 

 

“I’ll buy you dinner, Naru-chan!” Kiba said eagerly. The other two boys glared at him.

 

“No, I will,” Shikamaru grit out, his fists balling up in his pockets. Kiba reaches out and shoved his shoulder a little, jostling him. Shikamaru snarled back. Neji scowled, and looked up at the sky.

 

“I think I should be the one to pay, as Naru-san and I get to spend the least amount of time together,” He looked back down at her. “I actually would like to take you out one on one sometime soon, if you wouldn’t mind,” the other two boys both stared at him.

 

Naru smiled. “If you wanted to hangout alone you shoulda just asked. Wanna grab lunch just you and me today?” 

 

“I would like that very much,” He said, a small smile playing his lips. Both Shikamaru and Kiba looked upset. She looked at them questioningly. 

 

“What’s wrong?” She asked. They both looked at her, and then each other.

 

“Nothing,” They both said at once. Naru shrugged. 

 

“Okay, if you say so,”

 

She stepped around Neji and kept walking toward the training grounds. There was a thud the sounded suspiciously like a slap, but when she looked around all three of her friends were standing quietly next to each other. She paused as a small group of chunin walked by carrying some weaponry, and Shikamaru caught up to her, clearing his throat.

 

“Hey Naru, I was thinking about… maybe we could… do you want to do something together?” 

 

“We do stuff together all the time,”

 

“I mean like… go on a date together…”

 

“Oh, sure. With who? I guess I should ask someone. We can go tomorrow night, if you want. Oh look, there’s Sakura-chan!” Naru hopped up onto her tip toes and waved at her friend, “Wanna go out with me on a double date? I’ll buy you a new ribbon for your hair if you come!”

 

Sakura looked surprised, but beamed and called back. “Yeah, okay! I was going to go to the library. Do you wanna come with me?”

 

“Yeah, alright,” Naru said. She looked over her shoulder at Neji. “See you for lunch,” she winked at Shikamaru and Kiba. “And I’ll see you all for dinner. Catch ya later! Can’t wait to see your date, Shika-kun! Bye!” She laughed, waving. Shikamaru groaned audibly.

 

“How on earth-“ He started, but Naru didn’t hear the rest. She had caught up with Sakura, who was a little pink in the face, and looking happy. Naru smiled at her.

 

”Whatcha studyin’?”

 

“Cellular response,” Sakura laughed, linking arms with Naru, “I’d love to talk it over with you,”

 

Naru ran her fingers over the scar on the back of her neck. “Yeah, okay… you’re not gonna quiz me or nothing, right?”

 

Sakura nudged her, rolling her eyes. “No, I’m not going to quiz you, goofball,”


	5. Alternate ending to ‘A Pain Not To Be Bourne’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is the other way the kazekage rescue mission could have ended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gaa/naru is a BIG FAVOURITE of mine

Seated around the table, Naru was loudly arguing with Ibara, gesturing wildly and making the whole table laugh. Gaara smiled, and turned his cup in his hand. His sister, he knew, was watching him, but he didn’t mind. There was nothing to see. He was doing nothing, he was just sitting with friends. Naru sat back, and rolled her eyes, throwing her arm up across the cushion of the booth. Gaara stiffened.

 

_ Did she know?  _ She shifted slightly closer, reaching forward for a cake and laughing, pointing at Kankuro and saying something about Kiba that made him blush. This move made her bicep slide along Gaara’s shoulder, and he felt his face heat up a little.  _ She doesn’t know what she’s doing.  _

 

Naru leaned back again, her arm staying wrapped around his shoulders as she bit into the cake. He shivered, hoping that no one noticed the involuntary movement, and the flush that was obviously darkening across his cheeks. 

 

She looked over. “You good, Gaa-chan?” She asked through her mouthful of cake. He nodded. She swallowed and leaned in, wiping the corner of her mouth and smiling. “Hey, I’m glad I didn’t have to go home straight away, I thought about you a lot while I was gone,”

 

Gaara looked up at her with wide eyes. She brought the cake up to his face and beamed. 

 

“Wanna bite? You Sand villagers might not have a wide selection of drinks, but damn, your sweets are really good!”

 

Gaara swallowed thickly and shook his head. “No,” He hesitated, “No thank you,”

 

Naru shrugged, pushing the rest of her cake into her mouth and turning back to Ibara as the shorter girl pinched her arm. Naru reached out and flicked her back, taking the arm that had been (unintentionally) wrapped around Gaara as she did. Naru leaned across the table again, touching the underside of Neji Hyuga’s chin and smiling. Neji smiled back, and Gaara flushed.

 

Naru sat back, and her hand fell onto the seat next to her. Gaara stared at it. His hand was barely an inch from hers. His other hand gripped his cup harder, his knuckles going white. His hand seemed to move on its own, his pinky finger stretched out, beginning to bridge the gap between them. For a few moments, a few moments that seemed like forever, he began to think up excuses for the touch. That his muscles were still not under control because he had been dead. That he hadn’t seen her hand there. 

 

But then she pulled her hand away and showed her palm tattoos to Temari and Kankuro, who seemed intrigued.

 

“Yeah, I mean, I didn’t like, decide to get tattoos, they just happened during training, by accident, but I like em,”

 

“Are those little leaves?” Kankuro asked enthusiastically. Naru grinned, sitting back down and looking at them. 

 

“Yep! Just lil guys! My hands have grown a little, so they aren’t really perfect like they used to be, and they’re kinda blurry, but you can still tell. I might redo them some day. What do you think?” She asked, showing her palms to Gaara. Gaara stared at the blurry leaf symbols on the girl’s palms.

 

“Uh…” Gaara said, trying to shake off the urge to plant his lips on the tiny black marks, “Yes. One day. But you’re too young for tattoos,”

 

“Obviously not. You should see my seal,” She said, winking and touching her stomach. Gaara’s brain went into full emergency meltdown. Naru shifted around in her chair again, her hand coming to rest even closer to Gaara’s.

 

His pinky stretched out again, and he thought that her hand would move away- he would have put money on it- but, instead, her pinky twitched outward too, and their fingers brushed against each other. Gaara’s heart stopped in his chest… again.

 

Naru’s pinky didn’t stop. It slid over his, curling around it, dragging it into her grip. Her hand slid over his finger, then curled over his hand, all the while, she kept up her lively conversation with the others. Gaara’s face was burning. His every muscle had seized up. Every nerve ending in his body had redirected to his hand and his brain was about to melt out of his ears. He could process nothing but Naru’s broad, calloused hand, so wide and dark compared to his own. 

 

_ She doesn’t mean anything by it, she can’t possibly. She doesn’t know. There’s no way… _

 

Naru squeezed his hand and turned to him as her friends splintered off in their own conversation, and she beamed at him. 

 

“Hey,” she said quietly, her eyes flicking over his face and her smile growing even wider somehow. Gaara swallowed. 

 

_ Words. Words! Say something!  _ “Hi,” He mumbled. 

 

She reached forward and poked his scar. “Hm. Suna really is good at making sweets,” She laughed under her breath, scooting a little bit closer and turning back to Ibara in time to catch a little of what she was saying and fashion a reply.

 

Gaara brought his cup to his lips, his face burning so badly he could have sworn it would blister, and accidentally caught Temari’s eye. She smirked at him, and flicked her eyes down at Naru and Gaara’s intertwined hands. 

 

“Naruto?” Gaara hissed quietly. Naru looked around at him, shocked by her full name.

 

“Whassup, Sleepy?” She asked, tilting her head. Gaara swallowed.

 

“Isn’t holding hands… something that couples… do?”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Naru said plainly, “why?”

 

“We’re holding hands,” He said quietly. Naru blinked at him, then grinned.

 

“Yeah, we are!” Naru said, squeezing his hand again and scooting in even closer, so that their legs brushed together. Gaara swallowed again.

 

“So…”

 

“What?”

 

“Never mind…” He said quietly, looking down at his mug. He turned it slowly. Naru laughed. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. 

 

“You’re such a goof, Kazekage-sama,” She laughed. Gaara’s face burned, especially where her lips had touched his face. He turned and stared at her. Everyone had gone silent around the table as Naru smiled at him, inches from his face. 

 

“A… goof?” Gaara said, eyes wide, a small smile playing his lips. Naru laughed.

 

“A total goof,” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey There Delilah, Jasmine Thompson


	6. Konoha's Unofficial Big Brother Program

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday Shisui! I'm so glad you're happily married to Itachi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh this was fun to write but hard to keep in character

Shisui leaned forward, throwing his arm around Itachi’s shoulders. “Don’t worry so much! He did fantastic in all his exams. I’m sure his team is great. I even heard a rumour that Kakashi was his Jonin,”

 

“If Kakashi is his jonin, he won’t pass his exam. No one ever has,” Itachi said plainly. Shisui laughed. 

 

“Don’t be such a downer. He’ll do fine. Look! Here he comes! And someone’s with him… Must be one of his teammates,” Shisui said, looking up as Sasuke walked back to the compound, a kid wearing a neon orange jumpsuit trailing behind him. They had a headband around their neck and were grinning wide, ruffling their messy blonde hair and talking non stop. Itachi, at Shisui’s words, straightened up and stared out at Sasuke too, taking in the other kid’s appearance. “That’s the Uzumaki kid. The jin-”

 

“Shh,” Itachi cautioned. The kids weren’t close enough to hear, but he was right. Not worth risking. 

 

Shisui jogged forward, coming to meet Sasuke at the entrance to the compound. “Hey, Kiddo! Come on, bring your friend in, how’d it go? Your jonin pass you?”

 

“Yes,” Sasuke said, frowning over his shoulder at the blond kid behind him. The stranger peered curiously up at Shisui. Shisui smiled at the kid. He genuinely couldn’t tell if they were a boy or not. He held his hand out. 

 

“Hey, I’m Shisui Uchiha, nice to meet you!”

 

The kid stared up at him like he was the first person to ever introduce himself to them, then down at his hand like they had no clue what to do with it. Sasuke scoffed.

 

“Don’t bother, Shisui, She’s not worth the effort,”

 

But the kid had taken his hand and shaken it, suddenly grinning so wide her eyes had squeezed shut. “Hey! I’m Naru Uzumaki! It’s great to meetcha!”

 

Shisui blinked. “Wanna come in?” He offered, pointing a thumb over his shoulder into the compound. Sasuke stared at him, appalled, but Itachi was eyeing him, as though ready so scold him for being rude, so Sasuke held his tongue.

 

“Yeah!” Naru said, sliding her hands over her arms as though to roll up her sleeves, even though she’d already shoved them up to her elbows anyway. Shisui threw his arm around the kid’s shoulders and pulled her into the compound, smiling. 

 

“Cool, we can all grab something to eat, to celebrate Sasuke’s first team!”

Itachi’s mouth twitched, and Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets, his face going slightly pink. Naru grinned.

 

“Okay! Awesome! I’ll buy!” She said excitedly. They all looked at her. Shisui laughed. 

 

“Uh, no, that’s okay, kiddo, I think I’ve got this one,” Shisui said. Naru looked up at him in a way that reminded Shisui of how Sasuke used to look at Itachi. Something caught in his chest. They all walked up to Uruchi’s bakery, and Shisui bought them all a bun. Itachi smiled at him as he handed them out, and suggested they go eat them on the grassy hill out behind the compound. Shisui and Sasuke agreed, but Naru just stared at her bun as though she’d never seen anything like it. 

 

Shisui ruffled her hair, then lead the way out to the hill. Sasuke was still looking sulky, like the last thing he wanted was for Naru to see  _ more _ of the compound. Itachi was eyeing both Sasuke and Naru now, slowly gaining that protective gleam in his eye that Shisui had seen a hundred times. They all flopped down on the grassy hillside, and Shisui turned to Sasuke. 

 

“So, who’s your jonin?”

 

“Kakashi-sensei,” He said, shooting Naru a dirty look, “We almost didn’t pass, thanks to  _ someone _ ,”

 

“If I remember correctly, Teme,” Naru spat back, without missing a beat, “We _ passed  _ because of me getting tied to that stupid stump, so, you’re welcome,”

 

Shisui looked at the pair of them, then laughed. “Man, I like this kid,” He said. Naru turned to him and blinked, the bun hanging out of her mouth. Sasuke buried his face in his hands. 

 

“Oh no,”

 

Itachi turned to Sasuke and said something quietly. Sasuke flushed and looked away. Naru just continued staring at Shisui, her eyes flicking to his headband and back to his face. 

 

“Are you a really good ninja?” She asked bluntly, her eyes wide. Shisui blinked. “What’s your rank?”

 

“Jonin,” Shisui answered. Naru scooted closer to him, her eyes fixed on his face.

 

“What can you do?” She whispered. Shisui smiled, and looked up at Itachi, who was smiling too. 

 

“I don’t know what you mean, kiddo,” He said, taking a bite out of his bun and chewing it slowly. Naru shifted closer again, excitedly. 

 

“Do you have like, a super cool jutsu? A specialty? What can you do in a fight? Are you really strong?”

 

Shisui looked up at Itachi again. The younger man had rested his chin in his hand, and was watching the exchange with an expression of delight. Naru looked so eager and excited. Shisui looked down at her and leaned in.

 

“They call me Shisui of the body flicker,” He said mysteriously, before leaning back and taking another bite out of his bun. Naru’s brow furrowed. 

 

“Why do they call you that?” She asked, taking in his face again. Shisui handed her his bun.

 

“Hold this,” He said. Naru looked down at it.

 

“Wha-” She started, but he’d already shunshined away. Naru gasped, looking around her. He started pausing, leaving his after-images across the bottom of the hill. He looked up at Itachi, who was smiling, and then he moved back and flopped down on Naru’s other side. She jumped and turned to him, eyes and smile both wide. 

 

“Whoa! You’re incredible!” She said, handing him his bun back. “That’s totally amazing! You’re probably, like, the fastest person on the whole planet!”

 

Shisui smiled. “Practice makes perfect,” He said, leaning back on the hill and propping himself up on his elbows. He looked over at Itachi. “Isn’t that right?”

 

“Yes,” Itachi said, nodding. Sasuke scoffed.

 

“It helps to be  _ born talented, _ ” He grumbled. Naru glared over at him and stuck out her tongue.

 

“No one is  _ born talented. _ Babies suck. And you’re one to talk,”

 

“Just because you can’t do anything right, Dobe-”

 

“Sasuke!” Itachi said sharply. Sasuke settled back down, putting his face in his hands again. 

 

“Whatever,”

 

Shisui grinned, and looked back up at the sky. A light breeze blew his hair back, and something warm settled in his chest. He looked over at Itachi, who was already watching him. He winked at him, and got to his feet. 

 

“We should get you back home, Naru,” He said, stretching, “Before you’re missed,”

 

Naru frowned up at him, then looked away sharply. “Oh, yeah… I know the way out,”

 

Shisui blinked. “We can walk you, right ‘Tachi?”

 

Itachi nodded, getting to his feet. “Of course,” He said. Sasuke got up too, but he frowned and pushed his hands into his pockets. 

 

“No… It’s okay,” Naru said, shuffling down the hill and shooting the boys a crooked smile. Shisui shook his head and slid down the hill after her.

 

“No, no, really, we insist. We’ll walk you home,”

 

Naru looked shifty, and her hands found her jacket pockets. She kicked a pebble across the foot of the hill. “I live in the apartments on the other side of town,”

 

_ Public housing. She’s an orphan, that’s right.  _

 

“Well then looks like we’re walking there. C’mon!” Shisui said. Itachi walked easily down the hill after Shisui, and Sasuke shuffled behind him. Soon enough, they were out of the compound and on their way to Naru’s apartment. She was quiet, and from the way Sasuke kept looking over at her, that was unusual. When they finally reached her building, Shisui frowned up at it. It was dilapidated, and some of the windows were cracked. “Do you mind if we come in?” He asked. Naru shuffled her feet, glancing at Sasuke, then shrugged. 

 

“Sure,” She said, shrugging. “Doesn’t matter,” She unlocked the building’s door and lead them up the stairs, letting them all into her apartment. She had some small house plants lining the wall near the window and some cheap furniture. She had a glass on the counter and had left one of her cupboard doors open. It had nothing in it. She shuffled over to it and put the cup away, closing the door with a look of shame on her face. Shisui looked around at the cracked walls and stained ceiling, then down at the technicolour little kid standing in the middle of it, avoiding all three of their gazes. 

 

“Do you guys want anything to eat?” She offered weakly, “I have… potato chips and some apples,”

 

Shisui sat down on the floor and grinned. “I’d kill for an apple, Naru! Thanks!” He made a quick gesture for the other two to sit down too, Itachi neatly folding his legs beneath him, Sasuke flopping down next to his brother, squinting at Shisui unhappily. Naru shuffled back with an armful of apples and a bag of chips, handing them out and sitting across from Shisui. He took a bite out of his apple.

 

“How often do they check up on you?”

 

“Once a week. Once a month I go to the old man and he gives me some money for food. What’s it to you?”

 

“Just curious,” Shisui said.  _ Not often enough. That’s gonna change. _

 

“Who brings you food?”

 

“Mostly buy it myself. Sometimes the weekly checkup comes with veggies. Depends who it is,” Naru said plainly. She bit into her own apple. “You a cop?”

 

“Yeah,” Shisui said, flashing her a crooked smile, “What’s it to you?”

 

“It’s cool, that’s all,” She said, shrugging. Sasuke scoffed. 

 

Shisui nodded. “Gotcha. You have anyone else who checks up on you? Big sister? Big Brother?”

 

“No,”

 

“Want one?” He asked with a smile. Naru looked up at him, and her face split into a grin. 

 


	7. Asking the Question, a NaruSaku blurb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I blame Nomo
> 
> record players exist somewhere in naruto I just know it

Sakura couldn’t stop smiling. Her mother had actually bought her the record player she had wanted for her seventeenth birthday, and her father had gotten her a few records, which was even more surprising.

 

She was currently laying on her stomach on the floor, happily watching the record spin as a song warbled out of the speakers. She rested her chin in her hands.

 

A pebble clicked against the glass of her window. She leapt to her feet and scrambled to the glass, yanking it open. She leaned out and smiled down at Naru, who was standing in the road holding a bundle of sunflowers she’d obviously bought from Ino’s shop and a messily wrapped present. She waved.

 

“Hey! Happy birthday, Sakura, Ibara. I just wanted to drop these off, but Ino told me to put these in water, so I wanted to let you know they’re on the porch,”

 

“Come up here! I wanna show you something,” She said, waving frantically. Naru hesitated, then tucked the flowers in her back pocket and clambered up the wall. She set the present down on the windowsill, then reached behind her and handed Sakura the sunflowers. Naru smiled at her.

 

“I wanted to get you tulips, but Ino said they weren’t in season, and said that I should get you these, but wouldn’t tell me why,”

 

Sakura smiled, and took the flowers. She paused for a moment, the set them down on her dresser before reaching out and suddenly pulling Naru into her room. They fell, Naru on top of Sakura, who was laughing. Naru braced herself on her hands and knees, hovering over her.

 

“Sakura! I’m heavy! I could have hurt you, and you don’t heal like I do,” She frowned, looking down at Sakura. Sakura flushed and smiled.

 

“I’m tough enough to take your weight, you know that,” She said. Naru pouted, but then looked up when she heard the sound of music. She spotted Sakura’s new record player.

 

“That’s cool. Is it new?”

 

“Just got it today,” Sakura said, sitting up and scooting back a little so they were face to face.

 

“What records did you get?” Naru asked, smiling at her best friend. Sakura beamed.

 

“Have a look,” She said, scooting over to it and holding out the albums for Naru to flip through. Naru took them, and handed over the badly wrapped gift.

 

“You first,” She said, looking nervous. Sakura pulled away the paper and looked at the little box. She looked up at Naru. “Go on, open it!” She said, biting her top lip. Sakura flipped the lid of the box open and gasped.

 

“No way!” She exclaimed, staring down at the two little black objects. Naru beamed.

 

“You like em? I had em made just for you. Not like you need your punches more deadly, but now you’ll literally be pin point accurate with that chakra control of yours,”

 

Sakura slid the sharply pointed rings into her middle fingers, looking at her hands happily. Naru hadn’t been kidding. With sharp, chakra-sensitive metal points she could probably cut people dead in half even if she missed. It was an amazing gift. “I love them!” She squeaked. Naru grinned.

 

They leant against the foot of Sakura’s bed, laughing at song titles and teasing one another, until the record that was playing came to an end, and Sakura flipped it. “I always seem to like the b sides better. I don’t know why…”

 

“I think that the record label kinda picks what goes on side A,” Naru mused as Sakura dropped the needle and it began its little wander toward the first song, “The musicians have more say with the b side. Or that’s what I always kinda thought, anyway,” She blushed. “I’m probably wrong, it sounds dumb when I say it out loud,”

 

Sakura smiled. “I think it’s a cool theory,” She said. They looked at the needle as music started to play. Sakura smiled and got to her feet. She held out her Hand to Naru, and when she took it, she pulled the taller girl to her feet. She turned so they were face to face. She pulled Naru back, then pushed her forward, beginning an ungainly two step that quickly picked up once Naru realised what was happening.

 

Sakura laughed as Naru held out her arm and twirled her, then pulled the other closer, slowing down as the next song came on. She smiled up at her friend.

 

“You know, if I could have guessed how this would all play out, and who you’d grow up to be, I would have been in a very different mood when we were first assigned to the same genin team,” She mused as Naru stepped along with her, effortlessly in sync. Naru offered her a crooked smile before she gave an answer.

 

“What? Even more disappointed?” Naru joked. Her lips fell together, and she turned Sakura a little faster during a bridge. Sakura smiled. The taller girl tilted her head. “You know, that day, I was ecstatic. You _and_ Sasuke? The girl I liked and the boy I wanted to beat? What more could I have asked for? Only you were all over him, remember?”

 

Sakura did. It was before Ibara had broken free, even. She shook her head. “Silly me,” She whispered. “I know better now,”

 

There was a pause, and Sakura’s eyes fell to Naru’s lips. They weren’t thin, or particularly full. They just… were Naru’s, and that was enough to make Sakura’s heart flutter. They were close, and Sakura was inadvertently pressing in closer. It wasn’t the first time they’d been flush to one another- years of friendship, fighting, hugging and wrestling, trying to pin one another… They’d been physically close hundreds of times. But suddenly it felt a little different. Suddenly it felt like there was a little more to it. Like there was a different energy running through them both. Naru swallowed, and smiled nervously.

 

“Yeah, I think all of those girls from back then do,” She licked her lips and looked around the room, clearing her throat.

 

“Naru?”

 

“Sakura?”

 

“Do you ever think… that maybe we could be… more than just friends?” She asked, her heart trying to break through her ribs and into Naru’s, trying to get through her chest. Naru smiled at her, and stopped moving them around the room.

 

“Of course. We already are. We’re best friends, and teammates, and we always have each other’s backs,” Naru brushed Sakura’s hair back away from her eyes. “You’ve always been more than _just_ a friend to me, Sakura,”

 

Sakura let her eyes slide closed, and tried to quell the disappointment in her chest. “That’s… not really what I meant, Naru,”

 

“What did you mean?”

 

Sakura paused, her eyes flicking back to Naru’s lips. Then, suddenly, without meaning to, Sakura was pressing her own against them, softly, her brow furrowed, her hand tight in the hem of Naru’s tank. It was like a dam in her broke, and every beaten-back feeling and time she brushed Ibara aside was hitting her at once. Her world was crumbling around her and there was just Naru, Naru’s soft, relaxed muscle and her soft, unmoving lips-

 

Sakura stumbled back, holding her hand to her mouth. Naru looked frozen to the spot, her eyes were wide, her hands still held out in front of her. She looked like she might die of shock. Sakura gasped.

 

“Naru! I’m so sorry I wasn’t even thinking- I just…”

 

Naru seemed to shake herself, and looked up at Sakura. “No, no, Sakura,” She said, stepping forward, but Sakura ran her hands through her hair and looked around frantically.

 

“Oh, oh no, I messed everything up! That wasn’t okay, I-“

 

Naru planted her hands on Sakura’s shoulders and smiled, drawing her in a little closer and humming a little. “Sakura it’s okay. You just surprised me. If you wanted to kiss, you shoulda just asked,” She beamed, her eyes squeezing shut as her thumb came up and wiped a tear from Sakura’s cheek.

 

“Naru…”

 

“You can always just _ask._ I’m a little slow, so sometimes you just gotta spell stuff out for me, you know?”

 

Sakura paused, and nodded, lowering her watery eyes. She smiled. Naru sighed, seeming a little frustrated.

 

“Like this,” She said, pulling Sakura in a little closer and using her fingers to tilt Sakura’s chin up, so they were only inches away, “Sakura, I’ve liked you since we were six years old. Everything about you makes me happy. Your smile lights up my world. Your laugh makes it stop turning. And all I wanna do is make you happy. Can I kiss you?”

 

Sakura forgot how to breathe as she looked up into those blue eyes. Naru smiled.

 

“See? Not hard to ask,” She dropped her hand from Sakura’s chin and was about to pull away when Sakura hissed a quick ‘yes’ that was frankly more breath than word but she didn’t _care_ because she was pressing their lips together again and Naru’s calloused hand was tangled in her hair and her strong, thick arm was around her waist and she was breathless- like it was some stupid icha-icha novel- and then Naru had picked her up, she had her hands on her thighs and Sakura was pressing herself in toward Naru and Naru was pressing her against the wall and their mouths weren’t together anymore, but it was okay because Naru was kissing her way along her jaw and down her neck, and Sakura let out a little breathy noise that was _really_ embarrassing.

 

But then Naru hummed happily and nipped at the place where Sakura’s shoulder and neck met. Sakura reached up and shoved Naru’s leaf headband off, letting it fall to the carpet with a dull thud and carding her fingers through Naru’s hair, and her best friend was giving her a hickey and everything was crazy and different and exactly what she wanted.

 

“Naru,” She laughed. Naru drew back and bit her lips together, raising her eyebrows and shifting Sakura’s weight against her slightly. Sakura smiled.

 

“Mm?” Naru hummed, looking overly pleased with herself.

 

“Can I just… always kiss you?”

 

Naru smiled, and leaned in, resting her forehead against Sakura’s. “I can’t think of any reason why not,”


	8. Shikamaru Hates Christmas Parties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darling dearest Shikamaru is stupid about his feelings. Shocker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry christmas to nomo

Shikamaru was leaning against the wall, his eyes fixed on his drink as the other people at the party shuffled back and forth around the largest room in the Hokage’s dome. He was trying hard to pretend she wasn’t there, in the middle of the room, the center of attention, wearing a red tank top in place of her usual black one, with the back of her neck exposed, the thick silver scar there in plain sight… and the two necklaces she still wore around her neck. 

 

But he wasn’t looking at her. He really wasn’t. He was staring into his drink and not thinking about her. Not thinking about the way she laughed at everyone’s jokes, not thinking about the way her eyes lit up while she was talking, not thinking about the way she waved her arms through the air as she spoke, like her point would be better made with movement. As though she could usher everyone in the room into the story she was telling. 

 

He wasn’t thinking about the ten and a half steps at a normal gait it would take to go and stand next to her. He wasn’t thinking about the seven seconds it would take to get there. He wasn’t trying to quantify the inches between them. He wasn’t trying to work out how to catch her hand in his. He wasn’t thinking about how her hair was finally growing out. The way it fell into her eyes and she pushed it back, because her headband was slowly slipping back, but she was too absorbed in what Sakura and Sai were talking about to realise it. 

 

_ Christmas parties… what a drag… _

 

Shikamaru realised he was looking at her again and looked away, his eyes falling to the table with food and wondering if eating something would be a good distraction. He wandered over to it, downing the rest of his drink and pausing, trying to decide what he wanted to eat. 

 

He felt someone draw close enough that they brushed his sleeve. He glanced over and froze. 

 

“Hey, Grumpy, what’s crackin?”

 

Shikamaru swallowed, taking in her wide eyed appearance, then looking back at the table. He cleared his throat. “You look nice,” he said. He narrowed his eyes at a plate of sandwiches. “Red suits you,”

 

“Sai said I look like a tomato,” Naru laughed. He couldn’t stop himself. He looked back at her. At her eyeliner and her red muscle tee and the way that mesh shirt highlighted the contours of her muscles. He felt nervous, nauseous. Nau looked around at her teammates, and then grabbed Shikamaru’s wrist. “Hey! Wanna get outta here for a second? I wanna show you something!”

 

Shikamaru couldn’t take his eyes off her now, those sparkling eyes, that mischievous smile, the little dimples that you couldn’t notice until you got used to the lines scarred into her cheeks. 

 

“Yeah, let’s get… let’s go,” He said. She grinned and pulled him out of the room. He stumbled out after her, into the hallway, and she paused, giggling. He bumped into her, and she caught him around the waist and grinned.

 

“Just through here. Hold up, hold up, close your eyes,” She whispered. His breath caught in his chest with her strong hands holding him still, keeping him steady. Here, in the quiet hallway, he realised he was way more tipsy than he had felt in the bright, loud room.

 

Maybe that was what had him off balance. Maybe. But he thought it was probably her. She smelled like whiskey and cinnamon and a little bit like smoke. Just a little. “Okay, but don’t knock me out,” He said, letting his eyes fall closed. She snickered. 

 

“I don’t trust you to keep them closed. One second…”

 

Then Shikamaru felt something being pulled over his eyes, and flinched before relaxing. Naru was tying something over his eyes. It smelled like smoke and something sweet. When Naru’s hands fell away from his face, he reached up and touched it.

 

It was her headband. He opened his eyes experimentally. He couldn’t see anything. Naru took his hands. “Come on,” She said, a surprising softness in her voice. She began to lead him forward, and he followed. Three turns, two sets of thirteen steps, another two turns and the sound of a heavy door opening. The feeling of cold air blasted him, and he shivered slightly. Naru led him forward exactly five more steps.

 

Then Naru reached up and pulled her headband off his eyes. He blinked, his eyes coming back into focus as he looked down at her. She was grinning at him. She turned around, pointing out over the skyline of konoha, the sun setting in the distance, lighting the sky up in reds and oranges. “Third best view in Konoha! It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

 

Shikamaru looked at her, the way the warm glow of the setting sun cast a soft light over her. She was looking out over the village, her eyes gleaming. Her hair, now finally freed, stood up a little, messy and chaotic, but absolutely adorable. Shikamaru swallowed thickly. “Yeah, it is,”

 

“The only places that are better are the top of the third’s head and the telephone pole by the entrance gate, but two people don’t fit on top of the telephone pole, and most people never climb on those heads, cause it’s not really allowed,”

 

“Maybe one day you can show me,” Shikamaru said, his voice hoarse. She looked over at him, eyes wide, lips parted ever so slightly.

 

She blinked, then smiled- not a grin, her eyes weren’t forced shut by it. She seemed thoughtful. “Really?”

 

“Yeah,” Shikamaru said, shrugging, “That’d be good,”

 

She looked out over the village again and sighed. Shikamaru wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. Naru looked over at him. “Are you cold?”

 

“What?” He said through chattering teeth, “No, not really,”

 

Naru laughed and reached out, pulling him into her side. She was warm, much warmer than he’d expected considering that she was sleeveless. He stopped shivering as she rubbed his arms. He felt his face burn. The sun dipped lower, and the darkness overtook their little spot on the rooftop. 

 

“Let’s go back in, before they realise we’re gone,” Naru said, jerking her head toward the door. Shikamaru nodded, not trusting his voice. She pushed him ahead of her, keeping her hands on his sides. He exhaled heavily when the heavy door shut behind them, and they made their way back down to the level where the party was taking place in almost silence. Eventually, he glanced over at her, and she shot him another little smile.

 

“Sorry for abducting you,” She laughed, “I just noticed you weren’t really feeling the party, so… but anyway…” She drew to a halt, looking at him. He stopped too. She flushed slightly and dug in her pocket. She drew out a little box. “You know… I was thinking… you know, you gave me my first birthday presents. I really,” She looked away and held out her hand to him, the little, poorly wrapped box resting in her palm, “I just thought you should have one back- I mean, a present… I know it’s not your birthday because it’s Christmas… it’s a Christmas present,”

 

He felt his own face burn and took it, running his finger over the rough, plain brown paper. “Oh! I… I didn’t get you anything. I uh… I-”

 

“It’s fine, I don’t need anything, I’m actually… I’m gonna go, you open that whenever,” She made to walk away, but he caught her wrist. 

 

“Can you please just stay? I want to thank you,” 

 

Naru flushed and looked at her feet. “I… Okay,”

Shikamaru hesitated for a moment, then let her wrist go. It fell limply to her side. He slid his thumb into the seam of the paper and pulled it away, balling it up and putting it in his pocket. He took the lid off the box and stared down at its contents.

 

It was a thick silver chain, coiled up inside the box and glinting in the half light. He swallowed. “What-”

 

“It’s to replace the string on your keima,” She said, tapping the place on her chest where the pendants rested. 

 

He pulled it out and looked at it. A little jump ring was looped on it. He glanced at her again, and she shrugged. 

 

“You don’t… have to use it. It’s just a stupid thing, I don’t know,”

 

Shikamaru stepped forward, his body moving to hug her before his mind could stop it. She froze up, staring at him. “I love it,” He said.  _ You _ . Rang through his head. He stepped back quickly. Naru was blushing. They both heard a door slam open, and jumped, looking around and seeing Tenten and Hinata stumbling out of a room nearby, giggling. Tenten looked up at them and froze, her face splitting into a grin as she grasped Hinata’s hand.

 

“Look! They got caught too!” She laughed. Hinata hid his face behind his hands and laughed. Tenten just grinned even wider. One of her buns was falling out of place, and the collar of her shirt was unbuttoned. 

 

“Caught?” Naru asked, tilting her head. Shikamaru looked up and froze. 

 

They were standing under a sprig of a scrappy little plant with white berries, hung by a ribbon and a kunai stuck in the ceiling tile. He felt his face burn worse than ever. “Oh…  _ Oh no… _ ”

 

Naru looked up too. She tilted her head. “What… Who put that there? Why would someone pin a plant there?”

 

“It’s mistletoe, Naru-kun,” Hinata said, his face still hidden. Naru looked at Shikamaru for an explanation, but he was just staring at the plant like he could make it disappear with sheer will. 

 

“What’s mistletoe got to do with anything,”

 

Tenten burst out laughing. “Naru, when you get caught under mistletoe with someone, you’re supposed to kiss them!”

 

Naru looked over at her. “How come?”

 

Tenten shrugged. “It’s just an old tradition,”

 

Naru looked up at Shikamaru. “Well… If you don’t want to…”

 

Tenten booed loudly, and Shikamaru’s face was absolutely going to melt. “C’mon!” She laughed, “Don’t be a spoilsport,”

 

Hinata caught Tenten’s wrist. “C’mon, Tenten, not everyone… Don’t make them feel bad. Let’s go back to the party,”

 

Tenten softened and nodded, letting herself be lead away, but not before looking over her shoulder and making a face at Naru. Shikamaru waited before they rounded the corner before meeting Naru’s eye again. She was looking at him earnestly.

 

“If you don’t want to-”

 

“No,” He said. Too fast. He rubbed his face with his hand and sighed. “It’s tradition,”  _ And you’ve wanted to kiss her since you were twelve. _

 

She shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be a big thing,” She said, stepping forward, “Just a quick kiss. Kissing isn’t a big deal…” She looked up into his eyes and flashed him that tiny little smile again. “Friends kiss all the time,”

 

“Yeah…” He said, trying to pretend his heart wasn’t in his throat, “yeah… friends kiss all the time… and... it’s… a tradition,”

 

She put her hands back around his waist and got up on her tiptoes, but she wasn’t tall enough to reach him on her own. He had to lean in. He swallowed again.

 

“If you don’t want to, it’s no big-”

 

He leaned in, bringing his hands up to cup her cheeks, her skin was scorching, her mouth was soft and hot, and his chest and throat  _ hurt _ , maybe it was desperation, or the little sound she made when he grabbed her. Her fists screwed up his shirt, and she pressed in closer. He nipped her lip, and she made another little sound. He turned her, not breaking their kiss, pressing her up against the wall and sliding one hand down, along her shoulder, down her side, the other holding her jaw in place as he heard his shirt begin to tear under her grip. His eyes were squeezed tight, and the only thought- no, not a thought, it wasn’t something he had conjured- the only  _ need _ in his head was her, and being close to her, and tasting the whiskey and sweets on her tongue as she slipped it past his lips. 

 

He didn’t know how long they were there. Maybe an hour? Probably a year. But eventually they parted, both struggling to draw in a breath. Her eyes were trained on him with an intensity he hadn’t seen in a long time. Her lips were a little swollen, and her hair was even more messed up than normal. 

 

“I… uh…” He cleared his throat, but she just grinned. Her real grin. Her eyes closed, her whiskers bending along the contour of her cheeks. 

 

“Merry Christmas, Grumpy,” She said, grabbing the collar of his torn shirt and yanking hom down, planting another kiss on his lips, “We should do that more often,”


	9. Lipgloss, Saku/Ino

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino is a disaster lesbian send tweet
> 
> my lipgloss is cool  
> my lipgloss is poppin  
> im standin at the training ground  
> and my rival keeps stoppin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is for tumblr user demuthdeluth I love them
> 
> hey @ you I love you sorry this took so long it's because I suck and am lame but your art is incredible and I literally love you ok

Jealousy. 

 

Jealousy of Sasuke. The way they’d argued about him. The insults hurled. The way Ino had taken every opportunity to shoot Sakura a dirty look or call her names. Of course she did. They both… liked… Sasuke.

 

Jealousy of skill. Sakura got put on a team with some super famous ninja who’d never passed a team before and Of Course Sakura passed. Her forehead wasn’t that big just for fun. She had to have a brain in there somewhere. And then she kicked her ass during the chunin exams. And then she landed an internship with Tsunade and Ino scrambled to do the same… but gods, did she  _ hate _ medical ninjutsu. She quit not long after, but she still glared at Sakura every time she passed by the store or the training grounds. Because she was jealous. Jealous that she… had more skill than her. She wasn’t watching her because of the way the muscle she was gaining looked or how her short hair stuck to her forehead when she sweat. It was glaring. She was glaring.

 

And then they started hanging out, and Sakura dedicated so much time to talking about training and missions and what sports bras were the best and what smith made the best kunai. Girly stuff. And maybe she was less jealous, but that was because of her chakra control training with Asuma and her father. How she was developing a new jutsu with her father.

 

How Sakura always let her borrow her lip gloss when she forgot hers at home. Again. And again. And again. Even when Sakura bought her a new tube for her birthday. 

 

She was  _ so scatterbrained _ . 

 

And then  _ Naru _ came back. And Ino liked her, right? She felt the same way about Naru that she’d felt about Sasuke. She wanted to touch her skin and pin her down and fight her and kiss her in front of Sakura. But then she kissed her. And she smelled like ink and kinda sweaty and nothing like how she thought kissing should be. But that’s why she was jealous. Because of the way that Naru took all of Sakura’s attention. And Sakura’s time. What was it all about? What made Naru so damn special?

 

Sakura did. 

 

She realised it when Sakura  _ finally _ made time for her in her busy schedule, so that they could buy that ridiculously expensive lip gloss that Sakura just  _ loved _ because it was the one Tsunade used and she got a tube for her fourteenth birthday and never looked back. 

 

She realised it as she looked up, her eyes tracing from calloused knuckles and scarred arms, to the place her shoulder tucked into her shirt, and the way her neck rose out from her collar in a gentle arch, how her jaw curved, how her lips looked, so soft, her eyelashes thick, casting a shadow over her eyes. Just in that exact moment, she recognised that swelling, fluttering, overwhelming feeling in her chest.

 

“I’m in love with you,” Ino blurted out, her mouth moving without permission from her brain.

 

Sakura looked up at her, a little surprised. Ino swallowed nervously and looked around. 

 

“I think… that’s why I’ve always been so jealous? I thought it was  _ of _ you, but I think I was jealous  _ for  _ you? Like… with all the Sasuke and Naru stuff… It’s all just cause of you,” She cleared her throat. Sakura tilted her head.

 

“Is this like… a team ten thing? Do you all have trouble telling whether you’re attracted to someone or the person they’re standing next to?”

 

“Hey,”

 

“And you’re dense too,” Sakura said, smiling as she picked out her lip gloss and handing it to the woman behind the counter and sighing. Ino bristled.

 

“Ugh! Rude! I just told you I’m in love with you,”

 

“And you haven’t noticed that the last three times we’ve planned to hang out, it’s because I asked you out on a date,” 

 

“A what?”

 

“I’ve been asking you out on dates for two months and you keep suggesting stuff we normally just do to hang out or just blowing me off in a huff, so I was starting to think maybe you were sending a signal. But this is good,” She paid for her lip gloss and turned to Ino, handing her the bag. “It means you get to carry my bag,” She grinned and leaned in, “And I get to do this,”

 

Sakura planted a kiss firmly on Ino’s lips, right there in the middle of the store. Her arms came up around her shoulders, and Ino had to struggle to keep her grip on the bag as she nearly dropped it in surprise. 

 

When they finally broke apart, Sakura was glowing, smiling softly and brushing the hair away from Ino’s eye.

 

“W-wow, you’re serious?”

 

“Yeah, I’m serious! Of course I’m serious. Now come on,” She grabbed Ino’s hand and started pulling her away, “I’m gonna buy you food and walk around holding your hand so everyone knows we’re official,”

 

Ino blushed and smiled, bringing her fingers to her lips and letting herself be dragged along. It felt good to have no one to be jealous of.


	10. Meet Me At Your Favourite Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sui/naru blurb

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmmMMMM HERE YOU GO NOMO fuck I like this ship

Naru grunted as she pushed the bar up, then lowered it down slowly, bringing it almost to her chest, before grunting and pushing again.

 

“Hey! Long time no see!” Suigetsu cooed, suddenly appearing out of nowhere, straddling her bench, with Naru on it, and leaning onto her bar, putting all his weight onto it. Naru swore and one of her legs flew up, her heel digging into the thin padding of the bench as Suigetsu grinned that sharp-toothed grin of his.

 

“Fucking- shit! What the- Get off!” She gritted out, her arms shaking as she tried to keep the bar off her chest. Suigetsu just kept smiling as he brought the straw of his cup to his mouth and sipped loudly.

 

“Hm… I don’t know about the rest of your fan club, but it takes a little more than just seeing you working out to get me there,” he drawled, “Not that I don’t enjoy it,” he added, his eyes sliding over her face. She grunted and pushed up hard, dropping the bar into the cradles. It forced him to jerk forward so that he was stretched out over her. He made a small surprised noise, and she sat up, her arms aching, until her face was barely an inch from his.

 

“Not what I meant,” She growled, narrowing her eyes, “What do you want?”

 

Suigetsu’s eyes almost crossed as he tried to keep the tip of Naru’s nose in view. Naru cocked an eyebrow at him. He didn’t lean back. He just shifted his focus so he was looking her in the eye. “What, I can’t just say a friendly hello to the local hero of the world or… whatever?” He drawled. Naru snorted derisively.

 

Suigetsu just grinned even wider and sat down on her waist, the sudden added weight on her torso causing her to smack back against the bench. She grunted as he leaned down over her, his hands finding the bar- when had he put his drink down?- and he leaned lower, still grinning that wide, sharp grin. Naru couldn’t help herself. She swallowed.

 

“No, not really,” She said, flicking her eyes between his. “you always have some motivation or other,”

 

“Mm,” He said, pushing against the bar and sliding his hips down her body, until he was firmly seated in her lap. “Is that so?”

 

Naru swallowed again. “Yeah, I just…” She shifted her shoulders on the bench and tried to ignore her burning cheeks. “Can’t quite peg what you’re aiming for, you know, like… right now,”

 

Suigetsu laughed, low and breathy, leaning even lower over her. “Oh? You can’t quite _peg_ it, huh?”

 

Naru was fairly sure her face was on fire. She threw her arm over her eyes and let out an embarrassing whine. Suigetsu laughed again.

 

“What’s on your mind, Naruto? Care to share?”

 

“You really… wow, you’re intolerable,” She whined, digging her heel into the bench again and shifting her hips. She felt the motion jostle him slightly and blushed. _Cold showers… Training drills…_ “And people give me a hard time-“

 

“You give me a hard time,” Suigetsu cooed, grinning even wider. Naru squeaked and grabbed his sides, pushing him up with her as she sat up straight. He remained seated firmly in her lap and let gravity place his arms on her broad shoulders. She cleared her throat.

 

“What do you want, Suigetsu?”

 

“Lotsa stuff, mostly swords, what’re you offering?”

 

“What did you come here for?” She asked, forcing her voice even, despite how he towered over her, seated on her lap like this. She leant back, taking her hands off his sides so she could lean back on them. _Why was I still holding his sides?_ Suigetsu pouted dramatically.

 

“You’re really no fun,”

 

“You seem like you’re lots of fun- I mean! You seem like you’re _having_ lots of fun from where I’m sitting,”

 

Suigetsu slid back into his grin and tilted his head. “Mm, slip of the tongue there,”

 

“I’m very stupid,” Naru admitted before she could stop herself.

 

“I know, I love it,”

 

“But really! Very, very seriously…” Naru said, feeling regretful as she grabbed Suigetsu’s hips and pulled him up and off of her, “What’s going on? Does someone need me?”

 

Suigetsu huffed- he actually huffed- and dismounted the bench. “You know sometimes my reputation really is a pain in the ass!” He grumbled, stooping and picking up his drink. _So that’s where it went._ He leant against the cradle for the bar and eyed Naru as she stretched her arms. “I really did just… kinda miss you and I wanted to see what you’re doing,”

 

“Miss me?”

 

“You used to visit me all the time,” He mumbled, twiddling his straw and frowning. Naru laughed and stood, walking over to the other side of the weight room and pulling the extra heavy bag out, dragging it over to the rig. Suigetsu turned as she moved, always so he was facing her. She glanced in his direction before hoisting the bag up and hooking it onto the rig.

 

“You used to be a prisoner with information I needed. You’ve been pardoned. Your name’s clear. You can even leave Konoha, if you want. You’re free,”

 

Suigetsu lowered his drink and looked intently at her. “Is that what you want?”

 

Naru shrugged, walking back past him and grabbing her wraps. She started wrapping her hands with a deliberation she might not have used if it weren’t for a pair of eyes she didn’t want to meet boring holes into her skull.

 

“I want whatever is gonna make you happy, Sui,” She swore as she dropped her roll and it unravelled to the ground. Before she could bend to pick it up, however, Suigetsu was there, holding it. She held out her free hand. “Thanks,”

 

But he didn’t hand it over. He just stood there, looking at her with an uncomfortable intensity. She frowned, her hand curling closed. Then, quick as blinking, he wrapped the bandage around her free wrist and tightened it, so both her hands were pressed together. She stumbled forward a little, caught off guard as he pulled the bandage toward himself so that her knuckles brushed his stomach. She could have gotten out easily. She could have walked away. Even when he’d leaned on the bar, all it would have taken was an ounce of chakra and she’d have been free.

 

Suigetsu wrapped the bandage slowly around her wrists again. _Do I want to be?_

 

“Anything?” He asked quietly, uncharacteristically serious. “Even if it’s something I want from you?”

 

Naru stared him down, jaw set. “Especially if it’s something from me,” She said, “Because then I can make sure you get it,”

 

Suigestu’s lip curled, and he smirked, before yanking her hands down and bringing her lips to his. She gasped a little in surprise, and he dipped his tongue into her mouth. She squeaked, and he laughed a little, his sharp teeth grazing her lip as he switched his grip on her wrists, tangling his hand in her hair and pulling gently. She hummed, pulling back a little and meeting his eye.

 

“Is this what you want, then,”

 

He laughed, his eyes flicking over her again. “Well… it’s a part of it. You said _anything,_ after all,”

 

“Am I gonna regret this?” She asked, incapable of stopping herself from smiling back.

 

“Not a chance,” He teased, leaning in again for another kiss.


	11. femme sasuke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hi i’m drunk and making MISTAKES

Sakura grunted, snapping her hands forward and pushing a spiralling jet of water out of the stream behind them. It splashed to the ground, and she wiped the sweat from her forehead, smiling. “Not… so difficult,”

 

Naru pouted. “But… You’ve never done this before. How come you pick up on things so quick? It’s not fair!”

 

Sakura sighed. “Don't be a baby about it,” She said. Naru drew to a stop. They were on training ground C, next to Yamato’s waterfall. Kakashi and Sai were seated on the edge of the grounds, both absorbed in what they were doing, and Yamato was giving Sakura pointers in between peering over Kakashi’s shoulder. Naru was practicing combining her wind style with Sakura’s water, but… something was…  _ off _ . 

 

“Sakura! Get down!” Naru snapped, turning and shielding Sakura as the air crackled. It warped with a strange energy that set Naru’s hair on end. There was a massive bang, and a flash, and Naru turned-

 

Sakura grabbed the back of her tank top and threw her into the stream as something fell out of thin air.

 

“What the-“ Sakura snarled, bracing for a fight. Naru spluttered, crawling back out of the water and coughing as the others charged forward too. Naru saw a glint if metal and tried to get a better look around Sakura’s leg. 

 

“Where am I?” Came a raspy, snappish voice, low, but feminine. Naru’s skin prickled with a familiar chakra.

 

She shot upright, pushing Sakura aside.

 

Someone was crouched in a defensive position in the middle of the field who had not been there a moment before. A katana was drawn and held in front of her. She had long, choppy black hair, a white shirt wide open in the front that exposed the white bandages she’d wrapped around her chest. It was tied with a thick purple rope… 

 

Naru’s heart skipped in her chest. The stranger was glowering at each of Naru’s teammates, sizing each of them up… Until her eyes fell on Naru. Sharingan. Naru swallowed. 

 

It was  _ Sasuke _ . But it wasn’t… it couldn’t be.

 

Sasuke-not-Sasuke’s face changed the second their eyes met. Her furrowed brow relaxed. Her clenched jaw did too. Her lips parted. Her katana fell from her grip. She stood.

 

“Naruto?” She asked, her voice a soft rasp. Naru swallowed.

 

Sasuke-not-Sasuke took a step forward, mesmerised. Every member of team seven tensed- save Naru. 

 

“You’re… You’re alive…” The stranger said, her voice breaking. Naru’s breath was caught up in her chest. She was so… stricken.

 

And suddenly Sasuke… Sasuke was in front of her, cradling her face gently in her hands, searching her eyes with a  _ desperation _ that made Naru ache all over. 

 

“It’s you… It’s really you,” Sasuke said. Naru tensed up. Any second now, Sasuke would jerk her head, break her neck, a senbon would spring from her sleeve and cut her throat.

 

She reached up and clenched her fists in Sasuke’s sleeves, pulling them to her elbows, checking her wrists for weapons…

 

There were none. 

 

Naru bit her lip, and Sasuke’s eyes darkened to their natural black. “oh… no,” Sasuke said, her thumb coming forward and pulling Naru’s lip from between her teeth, “Don’t bite your lip…  _ I _ do that,”

 

Naru sucked in a breath, but Sakura’s gloved hand wrapped around Naru’s arm and pulled her away from Sasuke. “Whoa! Okay, nope. Whatever genjutsu  _ bullshit _ this is is over, you hear me?”

 

The crackle of Chidori was suddenly deafening as Sasuke turned her eyes to Sakura’s face, snarling again. “Let. Them. Go.  _ Now _ ,” Sasuke snapped. 

 

“Who are you?” Yamato barked. Kakashi had exposed his sharingan and was looking at Sasuke with an odd expression. Naru felt like her brain had fled south.

 

“Sasuke Uchiha, the last Uchiha. Or at least I thought I was,” She snapped, not taking her eyes off Sakura as Sakura forced Naru behind herself, “Let them go  _ now _ ,”

 

Naru swallowed. “Please can we… uh… can we all talk about this?” She suggested, her voice husky and nervous. Sasuke’s eyes flicked to her. 

 

“We can talk if you come back over here,” Sasuke said. Her voice had the demanding, cocky edge that Naru’s Sasuke has always used. Naru bit her lip again and Sasuke- the new Sasuke- hummed.

 

“Stop the jutsu and I will. I don’t wanna get Chidori’d again, thanks,”

 

Sasuke immediately stopped her Chidori, but rounded on Kakashi immediately.

 

“You used Chidori on them?” She spat, “Naruto, come here,  _ please _ ,”

 

All of team seven looked shocked. Naru cleared her throat and stepped out from behind Sakura. “Actually… Sasuke used Chidori on me. Uh… more than once…”

 

Sasuke blinked. “I would never do that to you,” She said, sounding… hurt. Deeply hurt by the accusation. “Naruto, I would never hurt you. When you died…” She swallowed, and then she was there, inches from Naruto again and looking tearful, “When you died I swore to kill every member of the Akatsuki one by one. My sister first. I left the village… I trained with Orochimaru for years… I killed them all until that god damned Madara was left and then… then I…” She looked around. “Then I was here… Is this… is this heaven?” She looked back at Naru, took her in, then cupped her face again. “I don’t care. I’ll take it,”

 

Naru cleared her throat and grasped Sasuke’s wrists. “Uh… okay, so that happened differently…  _ here _ ,”

 

“What do you mean it happened  _ differently _ ?” Sasuke asked, not taking her eyes off Naru. Naru looked around at her teammates for help, but they just shrugged. Naru sighed.

 

“Here… Sasuke left the village for Orochimaru and I chased after him to try to get him back, we fought-“

 

“He fought you?”

 

“He killed her!” Sakura snapped, “If it weren’t for Kurama-“

 

“Anyway!” Naru snapped, “We fought and I lost, and I’ve been trying to get him back for six years and uh… hm.” Naru tilted her head, scratching the back of her neck, “He’s an akatsuki member at the moment which isn’t… great…”

 

Sasuke-not-Sasuke gaped at Naru. Naru shrugged. 

 

“He needs to die,” Sasuke finally said, walking over to her sword and picking it up. Sakura blinked, then looked at the rest of the team. 

 

“Never mind. She’s okay, she can stay,” 

 

Sasuke sheathed her Katana with the same twirling, spinning gesture that Naru’s Sasuke used, and then turned to face Naru again. She sighed wistfully. 

 

“Every day for six and a half years, I’ve wished I could have you back. Every day. And now…” She walked up to Naru again, and pulled her into a tight hug. “Now I have this… this second chance. My heart and soul are yours. The world tried to break our bond when they took you from me but I never stopped loving you. Not for one second. And now… now I can have it again…” She leaned back and grasped Naru’s chin, looking deep into her eyes and smirking. “Any version of me that would leave you behind… isn't me. You’re the sun to my moon, Naruto Uzumaki,” 

 

And then Sasuke kissed Naruto, full on the lips, in front of all of team seven. Naru hummed against her soft lips, her eyes wide in surprise as Sasuke moved to deepen the kiss, leaning into Naru, her tongue slipping from her mouth to trace between Naru’s lips. Sasuke shifted, pulling Naru’s bottom lip between her own, sucking on it and biting down, just hard enough that Naru felt it throb after they parted. Naru brought her hand to her lips and stared at Sasuke, who was smirking.

 

“Told you, that’s _ my _ job,” She said, stepping backward. She turned back around and moved to leave the training ground, but Kakashi finally spoke.

 

“You can’t just leave,” He said plainly, “We need to assess you, and make sure you are who you say you are,”

 

Sasuke turned to look at him and frowned. “I didn’t listen to my Kakashi. It sounds like you’re no better than him. Letting this fake Sasuke hurt Naruto. You’re telling me you couldn’t have stopped him?”

 

Sakura and Naru gasped. Sasuke looked at Sakura. 

 

“And you. Sakura. A girl here, I see, but I doubt that means you’re less… hm,” Sasuke’s eyes flicked over Sakura’s frame. “I don’t know what my Sakura is like nowadays, actually. He’s still in Konoha,” 

 

“Sasuke!” Naru gasped. Sasuke looked back at Naru, and her shoulders slackened. Naru hated the way she looked, her back mostly turned on them, just looking over her shoulder. She stepped forward. “Sasuke, please stay here so we can figure things out… And… don’t kill my Sasuke… he… he deserves to have a chance to heal,”

 

The new Sasuke softened and nodded, turning around and crossing her arms. “If you want me to stay, I’ll stay,” She said, “But I’m not letting anyone who poses a threat to you continue to exist,”

 

“My Sasuke isn’t-“

 

“Oh dear god!” Sakura snapped, covering her eyes, “Stop calling him ‘Your’ Sasuke. Sasuke isn’t anyone’s. He’s the Akatsuki’s,”

 

The new Sasuke leaned into Naru’s side. “You can call me Atsuko until I kill him is that makes things easier,”

 

Sakura snorted derisively. “Atsuko. Fitting. Fine. Atsuko it is,” 

 

“Well- uh… Atsuko. I suppose we should take you to the fifth,” Yamato said, uncrossing his arms and looking nervously at Kakashi. Kakashi shrugged.

 

Atsuko looked at Yamato curiously. “Who are you?”

 

“Uh… I’m Yamato,” 

 

“Nevermind, I don’t really care,” She said, looking back at Naru, “I’ll go anywhere Naruto goes,” 

 

Naru flushed and scuffed one of her feet along the ground. “Fine by me,” She said, trying to sound casual. Sasuke smirked at her, and she turned her face away and scratched her nose in an attempt to hide her blush.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> wow, you made it. Congrats.


End file.
